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The Family Science and Human Development Department provides students with a greater understanding of multiple ways of knowing families and children in various contexts. It enables students to critically analyze the literature and to keep abreast of trends in research. The faculty creates a learning environment that supports and encourages the development of forward thinking practitioners and educators who work with families and children in a variety of settings. The department of Family and Child Studies examines multiple ways of knowing families and individuals over the life course in various socio-cultural contexts. Power, diversity, and social justice are analyzed through an interdisciplinary and critical approach.

The Family Studies and Social Work Department (FSW) is committed to the advancement of scientific knowledge pertaining to communities, families, children, adolescents, and the elderly. FSW seeks to apply that knowledge for the fulfillment of human potential through the prevention, treatment, and amelioration of social problems, and a focus on family strengths. Recognizing the complexities of contemporary, globalized society, the department dedicates itself to undergraduate and graduate education, research, and public service. In this endeavor, the department is committed to the promotion of values, ethics, and competency by advocating for a society that respects the dignity and achievement of all communities, families, and individuals.

The Department offers comprehensive programs that cover all aspects of families throughout the life cycle: infancy, childhood, adolescence, emerging adulthood, midlife, and aging. The goal of the department is to provide an educational experience that promotes the integration of knowledge and professional practice from the fields of human development and family science. Primary objectives are to prepare researchers and scholars to generate knowledge about individual and family development and behavior over the life span, as well as educate professionals who will provide educational, counseling, and advocacy services needed for children and families to function more effectively. The department includes a marriage and family therapy clinic, a child development lab, and an extensive outreach program along with a considerable portfolio of funded research. This scientist-practitioner model reflects the goals of The University of Georgia, a flagship, Research I, land-grant institution integrating research and its application to enhance the quality of life for all citizens.

The Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS), in the School of Health and Human Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, is committed to excellence in teaching, research, and service regarding human development and close relationships across the lifespan. Our objectives are to educate the next generation of HDFS professionals and scholars, to generate new knowledge, and to foster the well-being of individuals and families in their everyday lives.

As a premier HDFS department, we focus on the following areas: early care and education; child, youth, and family development; aging. Undergraduates can prepare for birth through kindergarten teacher licensure (as can our MEd graduate students) or focus on children's and adolescents' development in their diverse cultural, school, and family contexts. M.S. and doctoral students examine the biological, relational, early educational, social, and cultural foundations of development and their implications for families. The emphasis on "culture" includes not only different societies, but also within-society cultural groups, such as racial/ethnic and social class groups. We are committed to interdisciplinary study, diversity, and internationalization. Department Mission: The Department of Human Development and Family Studies seeks to enhance the quality of life for individuals across the lifespan within their diverse and changing relationships, families, social networks, and communities in varying contexts through (1) exceptional research and scholarship, (2) outstanding teaching and mentoring to prepare the next generation of professionals, and (3) active community engagement and intervention.

The family relations and human development graduate program is committed to the study, generation and application of research on human development, and the influences of family dynamics on development across the life course. Students are expected to undertake a program of study that develops a broad and sophisticated understanding of normal and dysfunctional development and/or family functioning. The aim is to prepare scholars and professionals with a perspective that is not only multidisciplinary but that also integrates theory, research, and the application of knowledge for the enhancement of individual or family development. The faculty represents a variety of academic backgrounds and professional expertise encompassing human development, sociology, psychology, early childhood education, family relations, gerontology, social work, and couple and family therapy.

The degree programs offered through the department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences are interdisciplinary, applied social science programs designed to prepare you to enter a career in research or academia, human services, youth professions, family life education, cooperative extension, or community development in a public, private, or nonprofit organization.

HDFS is a leader in applied interdisciplinary scholarship focused on reducing risk and enhancing resilience within individuals and among families across cultures and generations. The distinguishing feature of HDFS is the interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary integration of instruction, research and application between and among human development, family science, early childhood education, gerontology, and marriage and family therapy. Because integrative approaches are necessarily broad, the department's focus is on the many ways resilience may be discovered, developed, mastered, and maintained across human processes and contexts.

The Department of Human Development and Family Studies offers two majors. One in Early Childhood Education and one in Human Development and Family Studies. The major in Human Development and Family Studies has concentrations in Child Life, Family Studies, and Adolescence and Youth. The Department also offers a minor in Addictions in Families. The concentration in family studies provides an understanding of the development of the family system and the dynamics of family relationships. It leads to certification as a Family Life Educator by the National Council on Family Relations. This concentration prepares students to work in a variety of educational and enrichment programs such as parenting programs, family service agencies, industry, schools, social-service, churches, home economics, and 4-H extension. This concentration is also well suited for students interested in pursuing graduate degrees in marriage and family therapy as well as other areas in family studies.

The Department offers a master's degree in human development and family studies with concentrations in Human Development and Family Studies, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Parent and Family Life Education. The Parent and Family Life Education program leads to certification as a Family Life Educator by the National Council on Family Relations. The Department also collaborates with the Department of Psychology to offer doctoral study in Developmental Science.

The Department of Child and Family Studies prepares students at the undergraduate and graduate levels to become competent professionals and effective family members. Our primary areas of emphasis focus on children, youth, families, and early learning in diverse contexts. A central foundation for our programs is the idea that scientific inquiry provides the most effective means to improve the welfare of children, youth, and families.A notable feature of both our undergraduate and graduate programs is the opportunity for outreach and engagement experiences in area communities. Students complete intensive semester-long experiences in a wide range of community placements including mental health, medical facilities, public and private schools, and intervention programs. Students also have the opportunity to join a research team of faculty and students.

The School of Professional Psychology has 12 full-time faculty members who represent a broad range of interests and theoretical orientations. Faculty members are active in research, professional organizations, and the scholarship of teaching and many maintain clinical practices. Additionally, many members of our faculty have organized Research Interest Groups (RIGS) to work with teams of graduate students to explore research and clinical interests. The Psy.D. degree is a 120 credit hour program completed over 5 - 6 years. Although strongly grounded in the study of general clinical psychology, students choose additional advanced course work in one of four areas of specialized emphasis: Adult Psychology, Child/Adolescent/Family Psychology, Forensic Psychology, and Health Psychology.

The mission of the Department of Human Development and Family Science is to educate future leaders and professionals to enrich the wellbeing of individuals, children, families, and communities through innovative teaching, research, service and community engagement. We offer students model teacher training in early childhood education and family and consumer sciences education with practicums and internships in our 5-Star, nationally accredited Child Development Center and local schools. We offer the only academic child life program in North Carolina, and we developed the first medical family therapy doctoral program in the nation. We maintain a family therapy clinic as part of the family therapy training program-the only such combination in the state. Our family and community services- family science concentration is an approved program for the Certified Family Life Educator credential through the National Council on Family Relations. All four undergraduate programs within the department are accredited by the American Associatin of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Purdue University's Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) is widely regarded as a leader in the study of children and families. The department contributes to the well being of individuals and families across the life course by generating knowledge; preparing graduates for research, teaching, leadership, and professional practice; and by strengthening the interconnections of research, practice, and policy. The Department offers academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Faculty conduct important research on a range of critical issues facing individuals and families in today's society. Through innovative outreach efforts, the department extends knowledge to policymakers, employers, professionals, and citizens in Indiana and beyond.

The primary emphases of the department are human development and family processes within the context of larger sociocultural systems. The distinguishing feature of HDFS is this contextual focus. Individual lifespan development is viewed as transpiring within a web of close relationships/family relationships, and family systems are seen as both context for individual and interpersonal behaviors and as units nested in larger sociocultural environments. Our unique niche is a commitment to family diversity and a multicultural perspective in research, teaching, and service. In each of these areas, we focus on the diversity that characterizes human development within the family context. Because we define family diversity and multiculturalism broadly, our focus is on the multitude of ways that individuals within families may differ, including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, family structure, nationality, geographic location, and sexual orientation.

For decades Iowa State University's Department of Human Development and Family Studies has been investigating and teaching aspiring professionals how to help address the daily challenges of individuals and families. It combines a rich history of dedication to lifespan development and family issues with the pursuit of innovative strategies for the future. Its very existence centers on caring, thinking and planning for and about individuals and families. The department has a mission to have a positive impact on the quality of life for individuals and families across the lifespan, as well as for schools and communities through research,t eaching. As one of the top programs in the nation, nearly all graduates are employed within six months of graduation.

The School of Human Sciences provides education, research, and outreach programs related to human interaction and relation ships, early childhood, child life, youth, adult and family studies and teacher education in Family and Consumer Sciences and Agricultural Education. In addition, selected School programs focus on commerce, marketing and using technology for problem solving and designing programs and projects.

HDFS offers an interdisciplinary approach to individual and family development across the lifespan. As one of the premier departments of its kind, we focus on child and adolescent development, adult development and aging, biological aspects of human development, family studies, intervention research, and developmental research methods. The family studies emphasis focuses on the human family: its evolution, history, and function and on relationships among family members throughout the life cycle. Students study communication patterns, power, decision making, problem solving, and intergenerational relations. Students study links between individual and family behavior and the wider community, for example, the relationship among parental employment, family dynamics, and patterns of child development. Students also learn about family and social, economic, and race influences; gender relations; and cultural variation in family structure. Family studies is integrated in teaching and research with the other areas of the department, for example, combining family and developmental perspectives.

The Department of Human Development at Washington State University is a multidisciplinary department devoted to understanding the nature of human development across the lifespan. Through our teaching, research, and outreach programs, we promote the healthy development of children, adults, and their families in the state of Washington and throughout the nation. We offer a B.A. degree in Human Development at the Vancouver and the Pullman campuses, as well as a B.A. in Human Development via distance. A Ph.D in Prevention Science is available on the Pullman, Vancouver and Spokane campuses. Members of our faculty are involved in a range of research projects involving children and their families and in outreach activities through our youth and family extension programs. We run preschool programs on both the Pullman and Vancouver campuses. All undergraduate human development majors complete an internship to help prepare them for a career in the field or graduate study. Our graduates are employed in a variety of educational and social services settings throughout the U.S.

Through an integration of the root disciplines involved in lifespan human development, the Department of Family Sciences facilitates the development of learning and competencies in students who will enhance the quality of individuals' and families' lives in a diverse global society. The Family Sciences faculty empowers students to be proactive and systemic in approach.

Human Ecology is an interdisciplinary department that offers a holistic systems approach to examine the interrelationships that individuals and families have with social, economic, and political factors and conditions. This student-centered, research intensive department offers a BSc in Human Ecology with a major in Family Ecology (minors in Aging, Child and Youth Studies, Community Diversity, Community Ecology, Community Nutrition, International Development), MSc in Aging, MSc in Family Ecology and Practice, and a PhD in Human Ecology (with streams in Aging and Children, Youth and Families). Undergraduate and graduate programs focus on individuals and families across the life course, and on the development and evaluation of policy and programs to enhance individual and family well-being. Research programs focus on understanding the physical, economic, and social aspects of aging with a focus on aging well, and on enhancing the health and well-being of children, youth, and families across the life course with an emphasis on vulnerable groups.

The programs in Family and Child Sciences provides understanding of family relationships over the life span. We emphasize the diversity of families and how children and families are influenced by the broader environment and change over time. Students learn to apply this knowledge in working with children, youth and families in various professional settings through practicum experiences. Such experiences occur in a variety of human service agencies and organizations, educational and child care centers, and child and family advocacy organizations. The master's degree provides advanced knowledge of family process, child development, and evidence-based interventions; both a thesis and non-thesis options are available. Two doctoral programs are available: Marriage and Family Therapy and Human Development and Family Science. Both address relational development and enhancement of young adults, couples, and families; distressed families and relational interventions; and the link between parenting process and relational outcomes within the diversity of contemporary families. Both programs are highly research-focused and emphasize preparing the next generation of scholars with the goal of placing students in careers at colleges and universities, research units, and public policy organizations.

Child Development and Families Studies (CDFS) is a program in the Department of Learning Sciences and Human Development in the College of Education and Human Services at West Virginia University. Both B.S. and M.A. degrees are offered. Students in the B.S. program can select from two options: (a) Birth through Pre-K Early Childhood Education or (b) Family and Youth Studies. Birth through Pre-K Early Childhood Education is best suited for students who are interested in working with young children, from birth to four years, and their parents in pre-school or child care programs. Family and Youth Studies is best suited for students who are interested in working with older children, adolescents, and/or families in youth development or family development programs in community agencies. A M.A. can pursued in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in CDFS. Students complete 33 hours of coursework which includes a six-credit hour research-based thesis. Doctoral studies in Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) is available as an emphasis within the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Education in the College of Human Resources and Education. See details below.

The mission of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies is to address contemporary social issues that affect children, youth, adults, and families through high quality research, teaching, and outreach programs

Our program is characterized by:

A Focus on Significant Societal Issues. Our work could be described as "science with a social conscience." Faculty are interested in the most challenging basic scientific issues, but they are always asking how this information can be applied or how they can make a difference through prevention efforts, policy briefs, and/or community action. Illustrative topics include childhood obesity, intimate partner violence, emotional/behavioral regulation in young children, LGBT couples facing stressors/support in non-urban communities, among many others.

The Use of Advanced Methods in Unique Laboratory Facilities. Faculty and graduate students are engaged in developing and mastering the most sophisticated quantitative and qualitative methods available to social and behavioral scientists and to practicing these skills in state-of-the-art laboratories and our Family Resiliency Center.

Collaborative and Collegial Interactions. Our faculty work across disciplines, programs, methodologies and they work with colleagues across settings, departments and institutions. A transdisciplinary approach is being applied to address complex issues ranging from the physiological basis of language and emotion, the parenting experiences of fathers with children with developmental disabilities, cell-to-society approach to children's health, social mobility of low income households, and the internationalization of American universities.

Faculty with Major Scientific Leadership Roles. Our faculty are not only excellent research scholars and mentors, they are also leaders in the scientific community. They are recognized by their peers for awards and hold elective office. They regularly give invited lectures at major national meetings and universities across the world. They serve as editors of influential journals in the field.

The Department of Sociology offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in sociology. We have four substantive specialties including demography, criminology/deviant behavior, and social psychology in addition to family studies. We also feature a strong graduate training program in quantitative methods. There are eleven faculty members specializing in family. The department is home to two major research centers, including the NIH-funded Center for Family and Demographic Research (CFDR, one of 18 population centers in the country), and the National Center for Family & Marriage Research (NCFMR, the only one in the country). Faculty members have brought in over $9 million in research funding in the past five years. Current research foci include cohabitation, family structure and child well-being, aging families, family violence, widowhood, adolescent romantic relationships and sexuality, same-sex marriage, causes and consequences of the decision to marry, intergenerational relationships, work-family dynamics, fertility, and many others.

Child, Youth and Family Studies is where talent goes. The Department has excellent students who come to the Department looking for a place to learn more about children, youth and families and go on to find careers in early childhood education, child care, family service, family financial management and planning, teaching, and marriage and family therapy. The Department offers the advantages of a personally satisfying environment with excellent facilities and high quality faculty and staff. The Department was one of the first in the nation to offer masters degrees through distance technology in addition to outstanding programs on our beautiful campus. In addition to offering programs leading to bachelor's and master's degrees, the Department has Extension Specialists who serve Nebraska in the areas of early childhood education and adolescence.

Areas of Study

Child or Adolescent Science/Studies - Master's

Child or Adolescent Science/Studies - Undergraduate

Community - Master's

Development (Child, Human, or Family) - Doctoral

Development (Child, Human, or Family) - Master's

Development (Child, Human, or Family) - Undergraduate

Early Childhood - Doctoral

Early Childhood - Master's

Early Childhood - Undergraduate

Family Science/Studies - Doctoral

Family Science/Studies - Master's

Family Science/Studies - Undergraduate

Older Adults (Gerontology) - Doctoral

Therapy (Couples, Marriage, or Family) - Master's

Last Updated

September 26, 2013

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